‘The Bachelorette’ Finale Recap: Rachel Lindsay Chooses Bryan Abasolo, Couple Gets Engaged

The long-awaited finale of The Bachelorette has finally come and Rachel Lindsay gave out her final rose.

THE BACHELORETTE FINALE RECAP

Going into the finale, many thought Peter would end up the chosen suitor, but this season did not go quite as planned. The episode opens with Peter and Rachel talking about their relationship, and Peter admits that he isn’t sure if he’s ready to propose. Rachel makes it extremely clear that she didn’t go on this show to end up with a boyfriend but with a husband. Her tears seem to get through to Peter.

The chemistry is clearly still there, as the couple heads to the fantasy suite to get to know each other even better. In the morning, Rachel hopes to have more clarity, but she seems not to. What she does have, however, is a shirtless Peter making her breakfast – a snapshot of their potential life together?

Still perplexed about what will happen with Peter, Rachel is off on a date with Bryan. He tells her again and again how he loves her, but Rachel seems distracted. That night, Bryan brings this up, and Rachel is glad he does. She apologizes and assures him that it has nothing to do with him. They go to the fantasy suite, and Bryan says, “I love you, I’m in love with you, and I want to be with you forever.”

The next day the show producers have given up on subtlety when they keep in the part where Rachel asks Bryan, “What tastes better, the strawberry or me?”

Rachel meets up with the three guys, only to let Eric go. She reiterates that she isn’t interested in having just a boyfriend by the end of this journey. Eric gives a stoic goodbye speech, but Rachel is too wrapped up in her Peter drama to care.

Sidenote: The Bachelorette is doing a new thing where Rachel watches the finale with a crowd and does interviews with each of the guys in real-time. Eric has grown out his beard, but it doesn’t faze Rachel like it fazes the audience. “She fulfilled my heart,” he says before leaving the stage.

Back to the show, Rachel gets ready for her date with Bryan. They go up in a hot air balloon that has them equally excited and terrified. Rachel opens up that Bryan is interested for her because he’s been a constant in her life, something she hasn’t had. Peter is solid, but he’s so close to what she’s used to. Bryan tells her it would be a mistake to let him go. He gives her “Bryan and Rachel’s Spanish Dictionary” as a gift.

Next day, Rachel is back with Peter exploring a monastery. A nice monk beats the horse over the head talking about marriage to the couple. When alone, Peter tells her his hopes for their future, but he conveniently leaves out a proposal. Rachel asks him what about marriage scares him, and he says nothing, but is obviously not being totally honest. He says he is trying to figure out if Rachel is the “one and only for the rest of my life,” and Rachel agrees he should work on that. He only has 24 hours to decide.

An emotional conversation ensues in their hotel room with Rachel pushing Peter for an answer. He’s not ready to propose but not ready to lose her either. And unfortunately, Rachel is looking for that proposal. They go back and forth until they admit they want different things. “Then go find someone and have a mediocre life,” Peter says. They both cry. “I think we’re both going to regret this decision,” Peter says. “If you change your mind, you know where you can find me.” Peter walks to the elevator and the pair share a kiss. “I can’t say goodbye,” Rachel opines, readying us for the big reveal.

Well, first host Chris Harrison brings out Peter to the real-time stage and he and Rachel talk about their decision. He still has feelings for Rachel, but they both wish each other the best.

We are taken to a mountain top in Spain where Bryan hikes up to meet Rachel. “You are everything I could ever want in a woman, a wife, the mother of my children,” he says. “I am completely head-over-heels totally absolutely in love with you. I just hope you feel the same.”

Then Rachel speaks and admits she has fallen in love with Bryan too. She loves that he is mature and not a gamble, despite her usual ‘type.’ “I see my forever, and I see my future,” she says. “I love you and I’m in love with you and I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else.”

Congratulations to @therachlindsay and @thebryanabasolo!! Wishing you all the best! ?? #TheBacheloretteFinale

A post shared by The Bachelorette (@bacheloretteabc) on Aug 7, 2017 at 11:07pm PDT

On that, Bryan whips out an engagement ring. “I am the best version of myself when I’m with you. You are so easy and effortless to love, and I just want to love you for the rest of my life.” So Bryan got Rachel’s first rose and then he got her last. She says yes.

Harrison brings Bryan out in real-time, where Bryan fake proposes again to groans from the audience. But the couple seems excited to share their life together.